Chance Chess

Chance Chess is a set of playing cards, to be used together with a normal
chess set. The set consists of 101 cards: several cards of the type: `Play
a King', `Play a Pawn', etc., 25 cards of the type `Play any Piece', and
one reshuffle card. Players draw a card, and then move the type of piece
dictated by the card - if not possible, then the turn is lost. So, if white
starts with drawing a `Play a Rook' card, his turn is lost. When one draws:
`Play any Piece', any piece may be moved; the reshuffle card means that
the deck must be reshuffled.

It seems to me that the mixture of the different types of cards is well
thought, and that the `Play any Piece' cards make this game not only a
game of pure luck, while the game certainly will fulfill its purpose: give
weak chess players a reasonable chance when playing against strong players.

It is not really a game to play with serious gamers: too much luck is
involved here. However, for children that start to learn chess, the game
is very nice. I now play it against mine (8 and 6), with the rule that
I draw cards, they do not. We slightly modified the rules (to give me a
little chance): when I draw a card whose piece I cannot play, I draw another
card. When in check, no card has to be drawn (but unlike in the official
chance chess, I don't get a second move in the turn).

Some pictures

These pictures were made with the camera of a Silicon Graphics Workstation
by Hans Bodlaender.

Written by Hans Bodlaender. With thanks to: Chris Giminez from Chance
Chess Co. for sending me a complimentary copy of their game.
WWW page created: January 22, 1997. Last modified:
June 9, 1997.
﻿

Comments

It might seem a bit better to make a variant of this, where you can hold a certain number of cards in your hand (without showing the cards to the opponent). If you have no move, you have to reveal all your cards, discard them, pick up new cards, and then pass your turn.

Can you list in here how many of each kind of card is included with the game?

Hi Hans,
<p>Just thought I would let you know I have redesigned the site for chance
chess and it now includes an online deck. No online chess board, but
players can play with the deck on the computer with a chess board nearby.
I
also registered the domain name of chancechess.com and it should be
online
as soon as tomorrow.
<p>Thanks for keeping our info on your site all these years.